Nomura JellyFish

[challingham]

Hi there,



I'm a student at Langara College in British Columbia, Canada. I'm searching for some information on Nomura Jellyfish and the consequences they have on fishing on the coast of Japan. If anyone has personally had problems, interesting experiences or just stories about the Nomura Jellyfish that they'd like to share I'd like to set up an interview via email. (I'm assuming you might be a bit too far to have a person to person.) My article will be published in a yearly magazine called the Pacific Rim (a magazine made by publishing students at my college) - so you'll have to be okay with being quoted and having your name in a publication!


If you're interested feel free to send me an email (Challi00@mylangara.bc.ca), or just post a response to this topic.. I'll be checking back a few times over the next little while. Thanks in advance!

- Cait Hallingham
Vancouver, BC, Canada


email: Challi00@mylangara.bc.ca

[Aki]

Nomura jelly fish is called Echizen jelly fish in Japan.
Never seen them since they don't usually show up in Tokyo bay or Sagami Bay.

[challingham]

Oh, all right!

Well thanks for the information.
Do you, or anyone, happen to know how I can get in contact with fishermen who may have come in contact with the Echizen? I can't seem to find any other forums!

[Fisherkingnigel]

I did a little research and the only people who really come in contact with these would be commercial Japanese fishermen who use longs nets. Those fishermen obviously don't have a drop of English and nor do we actually talk to them since they're a pretty rare bunch of guys.

My wife said that that Wikipedia Japan has two theories as to why they are mass producing. One is China has been taking so many small fish from the sea that now the babies of these jellyfish have no predators. Number 2 is of course global warming...

Sorry we can't really be of much use but this is a pretty isolated situation in Japan that only affect the commercial fishermen.

NIgelman

PS I'm from Burnabay myself so it's good to see a Langara student here...

[challingham]

All right!

Thanks for the info.

[adamg]

This is Japan, where China seems to be blamed for most things...like the kousa that more comes from Mongolia &c. but the most plausible explanation for the explosion in Echizen kurage population I have heard so far, is the change in the flow of the offshore current (look it up if you are really interested), that is seriously altering the biotope of the Nihonkai. I've fished every year for 4 years in Toyama Bay and the impact has been quite drastic. One boat I know has stopped fishing the Bay 6 months of the year and sails out of Kanazawa instead. Buri (yellowtail) is one of the most famous exports from Toyama but year on year, the catches are declining.
Whether the current's unusual movement is due to climate change or not, is of course a point of contention but most fishermen, commercial or sport, say the sea is changing in ways it hasn't done before. I've heard similar stories fishing the Pacific coast as well, and the changes in the cod fisheries there.
Good luck with your research, if you really want to speak to a fishermen with firsthand experience of echizen kurage you will need to tootle up to a harbour somewhere on the Nihonkai coast. In Japan, the average age of a sailor in the fisheries industry is 60, so they probably won't be on the internet!
Cheers,
Adam

[kaminoseki]

Good luck with your research!
I'm sorry to say that I don't remember the names of the researchers, their university or which TV program I was watching...however,

A recent TV report showed these university researchers investigating why the Echizen jellyfish population was dramatically increasing.
Over the last 5 to 10 years, fishermen have been netting large numbers of Echizen and destroying them by cutting them up. The remains are then dumped at sea.

The researchers found that, when stressed (caught, netted, sliced up), the Echizen release thousands of eggs to ensure species continuity. It seems that the fishermen's efforts to curb the Echizen actually resulted in profligation.

If this theory is supported by more evidence and research, it should end up being published in a journal.

In my area of the Southern Inland Sea (Yamaguchi), there are some Echizen but not in the huge numbers that the Japan Sea coast experiences. They are eaten by a type of fish called "Kawa Hagi", leather-fish in English, and also by several types of Fugu.

Because of the increase in Echizen jellyfish, according to the Japanese Wikipedia, food companies are experimenting with Echizen as an ingredient for their food products.

[Fisherkingnigel]

this was just in the news about them:

Use some translation software or get a translator to explain all the details...

http://sankei.jp.msn.com/science/scienc ... 007-n1.htm

Nigelman

[Aki]

I take my word back.
I've been hearing reports of Echizen Kurage in Sagami Bay for about 10 days now. They're doing some serious damage to commercial fishing now. You may want to e-mail Tsukiji fish market. There gotta be a guy or two who can read and write English, since they recive hundreds of forign tourists every day. And if you're lucky, they may forward your questions to some English speaking commercial fisherman. Well, maybe not, but can't hurt to try.
Good luck.

[Fisherkingnigel]

The Japanese should eat these things so they'll be done soon!! I know many students of mine who've eaten jellyfish so it is possible. Adam got any good jellyfish recipes?

Nigelman

[luckstruck]

No idea on the species, but I often eat jellyfish in a cucumber salad dish. It's a bit crunchy, flavored slightly sweet with sesame seed oil I believe. I can ask for the recipie. Great to eat with beer.

[luckstruck]

yahoo article

[adamg]

The Japanese should eat these things so they'll be done soon!! I know many students of mine who've eaten jellyfish so it is possible. Adam got any good jellyfish recipes?

Nigelman

Like Luckstruck says. Cut into thin strips - you may need to refresh them with salted icewater briefly - then toss in a salad with sliced cucumber, maybe some sliced spring onions and dressed with sesame oil, roasted seeds ditto, and a little rice vinegar. A couple of drops of Chinese chilli oil will perk it up a bit.